SEA LEGS

Sea Legs image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 40m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons red curry paste
Finely grated zest of 1 lime, plus the juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons Sriracha (Asian chile sauce)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Sweet chili sauce, for serving
Vegetable oil, for frying
6 medium soft shell crabs, cleaned
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
Kosher salt
1 cup cold seltzer
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Steps:

Make the dipping sauces: Whisk the mayonnaise, curry paste, lime zest and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice in a small bowl until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Combine the remaining lime juice with the garlic, fish sauce, sugar, Sriracha and 1 tablespoon cold water in a separate small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the cilantro, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the crab fries: Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360 degrees F. Set a wire rack on a baking sheet.
Meanwhile, cut the crabs into quarters with kitchen shears; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Whisk the cake flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; add the seltzer and scallions and whisk just enough to make a lumpy batter.
Working in batches, dip the crab pieces in the batter, then carefully add them to the hot oil and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. (Use a mesh screen if you have one; the crabs may splatter.) Remove the crab fries with a strainer or slotted spoon and transfer to the wire rack; season with salt. Let the oil return to 360 degrees F between batches. Serve the crab fries with the sweet chili sauce, curry mayonnaise and cilantro-lime sauce.